2022 voter guide: Who's running for governor of South Carolina

South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster is seeking his second full-term as governor, and faces opposition in the June 14 primary from Simpsonville's Harrison Musselwhite.

Five candidates are seeking the Democratic nomination for the chance to face McMaster in the Nov. 8 general election. The five are former Rep. Joe Cunningham, William H Williams, Carlton Boyd, state Sen. Mia McLeod, and Calvin McMillan.

Below is information about candidates running for selected statewide races in South Carolina including the race for governor.

Voters can participate in any one party's primary in South Carolina.

If no candidate wins more than 50% of the vote in the race for an office, a runoff will be held on June 28, and voters who participated in that party's primary will be eligible to vote in the runoff.

Visit scvotes.gov to register to vote, check eligibility, view sample ballots and find polling places. Voters must register at least 30 days in advance of an election to vote in it.

The information below is provided by The Greenville News, Anderson Independent Mail and Spartanburg Herald Journal as a service to our readers. The Greenville News conducts background checks of candidates when possible, if anything is found during those checks it is reported below.

Reporting like this would not be possible without our subscribers. Please subscribe by visiting greenvillenews.com, independentmail.com or goupstate.com.

On the ballot: 2022 voter guide: Here's who is running for US Congress and Senate

2022 voter guide:  Here are candidates running for SC House seats in Upstate

Candidates running for SC governor

Republicans

Name: Henry McMaster, incumbent

Occupation: Governor

Political experience: Governor since January 2017; former lieutenant governor; past chair, SC Republican Party; former U.S. attorney; former two-term SC Attorney General.

Website: https://henrymcmaster.com/

Name: Harrison Musselwhite

Political experience: Current chairman of the Legislative Committee for the Greenville County Republican Party

Website: https://www.votetruckerbob.com/

Democrats

Candidate: Carlton Boyd

Party: Democrat

Political experience: N/A

Short bio: Comprehensive risk counseling and services counselor; attended Winthrop University

Website: No website available

Candidate: Joe Cunningham 

Political experience: Former U.S. representative from South Carolina's 1st congressional district from 2019 to 2021; lost to Republican U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace in 2020.

Website: https://www.joeforsouthcarolina.com/

Candidate: Mia McLeod

Party: Democrat

Political experience: Current state senator; District 22; former member of state House of Representatives, District 79

Website: https://www.miaforsc.com/

Candidate: Calvin McMillan

Political experience: N/A

Short bio: Formerly worked in hair business

Website: https://www.calvincjmackmcmillan.com/

Candidate: William H Williams

Political experience: Ran unsuccessfully in Democratic primary for U.S. House District 7 seat in 2020

Website: https://whcowboywilliamsforscgovernor.com/biography

Candidates running for SC attorney general

Republicans

Candidate: Lauren Martel

Occupation: Attorney

Political experience: N/A

Website: https://martelforag.com/

Candidate: Alan Wilson

Occupation: SC Attorney General

Political experience: SC Attorney General since 2011.

Website: http://www.wilsonforag.com/

Candidates running for SC superintendent of education

Republicans

Candidate: Travis Bedson

Occupation: CEO, CNT Foundations

Political experience: N/A

Website: https://bedsonforstudents.com/

Candidate: Bryan Chapman

Occupation: Pastor of Pee Dee Community Fellowship; championship driving school instructor

Political experience: Elected to Florence County District 1 School Board in 2014, reelected in 2018.

Website: https://www.chapman4sc.com/

Candidate: Dr. Kizzi Gibson

Occupation: Educator

Political experience: Served two terms as president of the Wst Metro Republican Women in Lexington County; Lexington County Delegate to the SC GOP Convention; Lexington County REpublican Precinct President for the Redbank Community.

Background check: A search of court records revealed no felony conviction in South Carolina for Gibson

Website: https://www.kizzigibson.com/

Candidate: Lynda Leventis-Wells

Occupation: 

Political experience:

Website: https://lyndaforeducation.com/

Candidate: Kathy Maness

Occupation: Executive Director of the Palmetto State Teachers Association

Political experience: Elected to Lexington Town Council in 2004; has served three full terms and recently re-elected to a fourth; served two terms on the board of directors of the National League of Cities; elected NLC president in 2020.

Background check: A search of court records revealed no felony conviction in South Carolina for Maness

Website: https://www.kathymaness.com/

Candidate: Ellen Weaver

Occupation: Founder of Palmetto Promise Institute

Political experience: Serves on SC Education Oversight Committee; elected chair in 2019.

Website: https://ellenforeducation.com/

Democrats

Candidate: Gary L. Burgess

Occupation: Retired, Spokesperson for Florence County School District Four Board of Trustees, Pastor

Political experience: Anderson County District 4 School Board since 2010.

Website: https://burgessforsceducation.org/about.html;

Candidate: Lisa Ellis

Occupation: Teacher

Political experience: N/A

Website: https://www.lisaellisforscschools.org/

Candidate: Jerry Govan

Occupation: State Representative

Political Experience: State Representative for District 95 since 1992

Website: https://govanforsc.com/

Candidates running for SC secretary of state

Republicans

Candidate: Mark Hammond

Occupation: SC Secretary of State

Political experience: Spartanburg County clerk of courts, 1996-2002; South Carolina Secretary of State, 2003-present.

Website: No campaign website

Candidate: Keith Blandford

Occupation: Construction

Political experience: N/A

Website: https://blandford4america.com/

This article originally appeared on Greenville News: 2022 voter guide: Who's running for governor of South Carolina